PASSERES. FRINGILLIDAi.
P y r r h u la e r y t h r in a (Pallas*).
THE SCARLET GROSBEAK.
F ir s t observed near Tomsk in Siberia by Messerschmidt,
this bird was originally described and figured by Pallas as an
inhabitant of Southern Russia, and in 1788 received from
Latham (Gen. Syn. ii. p. 271) the name of Crimson-headed
Finch. By subsequent British authors, however, it has been
generally called the Scarlet Grosbeak or Scarlet Bullfinch.
Its gradual extension westward to many parts of Europe is a
curious fact, and it may now be justifiably included in this
work as an occasional visitor to England.
The first unquestionable appearance of the Scarlet Grosbeak
in this country seems to have been recorded by Mr.
Wonfor f (Zool. s.s. p. 1918), and the statement was
* Loxia erythrina, Pallas, Nov. Comment. Acad. Sc. Imp. Petropol. xiv.
p. 587 (1770).
t This gentleman indeed called it the “ rosy bullfinch (Pyrrhula rosea) ”, but
there is no doubt he was mistaken in so doing. The true Rosy Bullfinch, though
an allied, is a very distinct species, not yet known to have been taken in Britain.
confirmed by Mr. Bond (op. cit. p. 1984)—a hen-bird having
been caught on the downs near Brighton in September, 1869.
This example was seen by the writer in Mr. Monk’s aviary
at Lewes, and lived there until June, 1876. On October
5th, 1870, another hen-bird was taken near Caen Wood in
Middlesex, as chronicled by Mr. Bond (op. cit. p. 2388), and
is now in his collection. It is very possible that other
examples have been obtained in Britain, but the particulars
given as to several supposed specimens leave it doubtful
whether they were correctly determined to be of this species.
In habits the Scarlet Grosbeak is described by observers
as bearing much resemblance to the Linnet, though it affects
marshy coppices rather than the open country. So far as
Europe is concerned perhaps the fullest account of its
manners is that furnished to Messrs. Sharpe and Dresser by
Dr. Taczanovski, who, writing from Warsaw, says that in that
neighbourhood it generally appears about the middle of May,
arriving singly and taking up its abode in bushes near water.
The cock-birds are very restless, perching on the top of a
tree or shrub, whence they utter a deep, clear and characteristic
song, repeated about ten times, and then descend in
search of food among the branches, but meanwhile they
sometimes warble in a very low tone, and after an interval
reappear to view and recommence their song.* In singing
the bird raises the feathers of its crown and throat, and in
the sunshine looks more beautiful than it really is. The
food consists chiefly of buds and the seeds of various trees
and bushes, but seldom those of smaller plants. The nest
is loosely built, but regular and neat inside, being lined with
fine shoots of plants, dry and often interlaced with a few
hairs. It is placed in the fork of a bush and always well
hidden in foliage. The eggs, from four to six in number,
measure from *76 to -74, by from -59 to -54 in. They are
of a deep greenish-blue, sparingly marked with well-defined,
* The note of the cock is said by Messrs. Seehohm and Harvie Brown to be
pitched high and is by them syllabled tu-wit-tu-tui, which does not agree exactly
with the rendering of Prof, von Nordmann hi-u-ti-u hi-u-ti-u. The former
observers say that the note of the hen is “ a low Greenfinch-like single zh-zh-zh ”
(Ibis. 1876, p. 115). Menetries compares the song to a Chaffinch s.